


Homecoming

by durchlaaucht



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Gen, and them talking about trauma, basically veronica finally leaving hiram for good, canon compliant up to 4x08, seriously ras ill pay you good money to just have these characters TALK TO EACH OTHER
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-05
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:34:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22136368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/durchlaaucht/pseuds/durchlaaucht
Summary: Veronica follows Mrs. Burble's advice, properly.
Relationships: Betty Cooper & Veronica Lodge
Kudos: 5





	Homecoming

“Why did I get a call from Dean Kingsley informing that you turned down your acceptance to _Harvard_?!” Hiram spouted, the rage in his voice barely contained. “Please tell me he’s sorely mistaken!”

“There’s been no mistake, I won’t be a crimson come fall.” Veronica twisted the glass in her hand, struggling to maintain a semblance of neutrality at the words she was about to say, though she had to be strong right now. “Besides, I look better in Yale blue anyway.”

“Are you insane?!” He continued, less angry and more flabbergasted and confused. “No one rejects Harvard. It was your dream!”

“One of my dreams, yes. But then _you_ ruined it for me.” She took a breath. It was time. “Walking through those ivory towers, I’d be letting you dictate the rest of my life. I’d graduate, get my MBA from Oxford, run a Fortune 500, make the cover of Fibes, obviously… The next twenty years would be mapped out, _by you_ . I’m finished living your version of my life. You don’t get to own my future, so consider the ‘ties that bind’ _cut_.” 

“Really? And what do you think you'll do now, _mija_? Walk away from me? You've never been able to do that.” Her father taunted, and she knew he was right. She’d been raised on a twisted sense of family loyalty that had done nothing but hurt her.

“You’re, right, _daddy._ ” She conceded. “I’ve never been able to do that. But I’m putting a stop to the endless cycle of Theban plays that has been our family history. I’m moving out.” 

“And where are you going?”

“There’s a guest room at Betty’s house, not that it’s any of your business.” There was no point in hiding that fact from Hiram, he’d find out sooner or later. “And I’ve already packed. Tell Hermosa I said goodbye.” 

* * *

“Thank you again for letting me crash, Mrs. Cooper.” Veronica said, having returned from the Pembroke. Alice could be cold, and harsh, but there’d always been a sense of respect between the two of them. “I promise I won’t be a bother”

“Betty’s upstairs.” Her reply was short and precise, as was common with Alice, though not unkind. “Try not to wake up Jellybean, I’m trying to get her on a sensible sleep schedule. I have no idea what the hell Gladys has been putting her up to but she just can’t fall asleep.” 

She tiptoed to the room she recognized as her friend’s, opening it slowly. Betty was sitting on her bed, a pen in her hand, writing on her diary. Her room, as usual, was perfectly tidy and the amount of pink almost gave Ronnie and a headache. 

“Hey, V!” Betty exclaimed, realizing moments later that the occasion wasn’t particularly joyful. “How were things with… your dad?” 

“Dreadfully anticlimactic, I can tell you that.” She smiled, looking over at Betty. She had always been impressed by how the blonde continued to project this image of positivity, of wholesomeness, even amidst the face of so much hardship. “But I’m glad I’m finally out of that hornets’ nest.” 

“I’m really glad you’re safe now.” Betty said, gesturing for her to sit on her bed. “You know, sometimes I get nightmares. Having to drink the poison, if you’d died…”

“I try not to think about it.” Veronica says, realizing she hadn’t talked about the situation with Penelope Blossom with anyone, not even Archie. “I get flashes, panic attacks, sort of.Sometimes when I’m drinking something. I just can’t wrap my head around why Mrs. Blossom wanted us dead. I know it’s because of the Midnight Club, _sins of the father_ as they say, but I’ve gotten so used to expecting violence from my own parents that the idea that there’s a world of people outside the Pembroke that wants me dead is kind of too terrifying to think about.” 

“For me, it’s more like…” Betty starts, though she cuts herself off. Looking up ar Veronica, she rearranges her phrasing. “I have these, my mom calls them serial killer genes. I’ve been doing research on MAOA mutations and the CDH13 genes, and I keep thinking. What if one day, I’ll do something like she did? Or my dad…”

“So your family has a history of mental illness.” Veronica states nonchalantly. “That doesn’t mean anything. You can get therapy, methods to control and keep any violent tendencies in check. Hell, the fact that you’ve come so far and you haven’t turned out violent despite the sheer amount of Homeric suffering we’ve had to deal with in the past year is proof enough to me that you’re good, B.” 

“Can you sleep here tonight?” Betty asked politely, a smile crossing her face. Veronica couldn’t say no. 

“If you want me to.”


End file.
